Vise.



Patented Feb. |902.

W. P. P HENIX.

. VISE.

(Application led June O1 4 Sheets Sheet L (No Model.)

No. 693,|49. Patentedfeb. Il, |902.A

W. P. PHENIX.

` VISE.

(Application led June l5, 1901.)

4 Sheets--Sheet 2..

No Modem b-W/V. E ,UHfg/YJX. 7" l l l 1 Patented rgb. n, |902.

@iwi/My A WM PPHMJX (No Modal.)

lzo

UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM PRESTON` rI-IENIX, or LUBBOCK, TEXAS.

VISE.

'SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 693,149, dated February 11, 1902.

Application filed June 5, 1901.

T0 all whom, t muy concern.'

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM PRESTON PHE- NIX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lubbock, in the county of Lubbock and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vises and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will en able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to cert-ain new and useful improvements in vises, the preferred materialization whereof will be fully set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, made a part of this application.

The object of my invention is to provide certain accessories designed to cooperate with the jaws of the vise in such a manner that the jaws will be very'quickly and tightly brought together into direct engagement or into engagement with any object interposed between them.

A further object of my invention is to provide an attachment for an old worn-out vise which will restore the jaws thereof to usefulness.

Other objects and advantages will be made fully apparent fromthe following specification considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my improved vise complete ready for use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my improved vise, showing a slightly-modified construction. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail View of the wrench portion of the controlling mechanism. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section of Fig. 3 on a slightly-reduced scale. Fig. 5 is a side View of myimproved controlling-bar removed from the other cooperating parts of my vise, showinga modification. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail View of one end of the controlling rack-bar. Fig. 7 is a top plan View of my vise complete. Figs. 8 and 9 show how my invention may be readily attached to the jaws of an old vise.

In order to conveniently designate the several parts of my invention and the elements designed to ccperate therewith, numerals will be employed, of which- 1 indicates the work-bench or other Support Serin no. 63,246. (no model.)

upon which the body portion 2 yof my device is operatively mounted, as by means of the locking-bolts 3, extending through Suitable ears 4, integrally formed upon said body portion. The body portion may be additionally secured by means of the downwardly-extending bracket 5, also preferably formed integral with the body portion and having a suitable aperture through which the locking-bolt may extend into engagement with a contiguous part of the table.

The body portion 2 is integrally formed with the stationary or fixed jaw 7, designed to cooperate with the movable jaw 8, both of which are constructed substantially in the usual or any preferred manner. The body portion 2 is provided with the extension 9, upon which the movable jaw 8 is adapted to move when moved-into its operative position. Both the jaws are provided with a centrallydisposed bore adapted to receive the clamping rack-bar 10, which is provided uponits upper surface with the oppositely-disposed series of racks or teeth 11 and 12 for a pur-v pose hereinafter clearly set forth. In the form of rack-bar illustrated in Fig. 1 I have shown one end as having the transverselydisposed aperture 13, while the opposite end 14 is threaded, the latter being adapted to receive a threaded bore provided in the controlling-thimble 15,which latter has upon its outer end a suitable aperture designed to receive the controlling handle or lever 16, whereby the said rack-bar may be so acted upon by said thimble that the movable jaw will be forced toward or away from the stationary jaw, as may be desired. The movable jaw is also preferably provided with the extension 17, the outerend of which is adapted to afford a seat against which the inner end ofthe thimble 15 may be brought to bear. Designed to cooperate with theteeth on the inner end of the rack-bar is the pivoted pawl or detent 18, having the axis or rivet 19, which latter is passed through contiguous ears or portions of the fixed jaw, as will be clearly seen by reference to Fig. 1. The detent 1S is held normally downward by means of the controllingspring 20, which latter is anchored at a convenient point on the fixed jaw, as indicated bythe numeral 21, the free end of the spring being thus left to bear upon the outer end of said detent. In order that said detent may be placed fully under the control of the operator, I provide in its outer end the slotted guideway 22,designed to afford means for con- 5 necting the detent to the upper end 23 of the pivoted lever 24, said lever being secured to the fixed jaw by means of the rivet or bolt 25. The pivoted lever 24 is operatively connected to the treadle 26 by means of the rod 27, and

1o it is obvious that a downward pressure upon said treadle will cause the elevation of the detent, so that the teeth upon the lower edge thereof will belifted out'o'f engagement with the contiguous teeth upon the rack-bar 10,and

I thus permit said bar to move longitudinally.

The rack-bar is held normally inward by means of the spring 28, which is mounted in a suitable bore 29 in a contiguous part of the body portion 2, a slotted guidewayBO being zo formed in said body portion, so that the stem 31, connected to the under side of ythe rackbar, maybe engaged by the outer end of said spring, as more clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The movable jaw 8 is held normally away z5 from the fixed jaw bymeans ofthe spring 32,

`othereof may be brought tobear upon an extension formed upon the movable jaw, the branches being disposed uponeither side of Athel extension 9, formed upon thebody 2'.

If desired, the thimble Vl5 Lmay bedispensed gwith and that form of thimble illustrated in Fig. 3 substituted therefor, wherein it will be observed that the body portion 33is provided at its inner end with a square, octagonal, or

' ether form ot' opening,as designated by vthe 4o numeral 34, which opening is designed to receiye a correspondingly-shaped `nut 35, se-

- clltd on the threaded end of the rack 10, as

shown in Fig. 5, the outer end of the thimble being provided with an aperture 36, adapted to receive the handle 16, whereby thethimble ,may befreely rotated in either direction.

In Fig. 5 I havealso illustrated how the rack-.bar 1.0 ,may be very quickly moved, so as to close the jaws, inasmuch .as I employ 5o the controlling-head 37, which is provided with a suitable opening 38, adapted to receive the, contiguous end of the rack-bar, to which it is Veccentrically pivoted by means of the bolt 38X, extending through theaperture 13,

and sincethe peripheral face of said controlling-head may be brought to bear firmly against the end of the jaw represented by dotted'tlines in Fig. 5, which in this instance is the movable jaw, it is obvious that said jaw `6o may be instantly forced toward the stationary jaw, and thereby insure that any interposed object will be lirmly'grasped and held until released by an opposite movement of the controlling-lever 39. The controllinghead 37 may be used independently of or in coperation with the controlling-lever 16 and accompanying thimblc, as may be desired,

of the controlling-head 37 may be brought to bear by a movement of the lever 39.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have illustrated how my invention may be readily and efliciently applied to use upon the jaws of an old vise, the cop-A erating threaded shaft or screw whereof has become useless from wear. TheV threaded bar 10 is used upon the old jaws substantially as shown in Fig. 1, except that the thimbles 40 and 41 are provided, each of which is to be properly seated in thethreadedfhole oecn pied by the screw ofthe vise, said-thim-V bles being secured therein in any preferred way, as by threadingthe thimbles and screwing them home or otherwise. The detent 1S ispivotally secured ina suitable recess prol l vided in the liange of the thimble at a` con-t venient point where it will readily engage the teeth 12 upon the rack-bar 1Q, whereby the said rack-bar may be readily-placed vunder l the control of the .operator,-as hereinbefore specified. In Fig. 8 the 'jaws of an old vise are indicated by the numerals 42 and 43, which are of the usual or any preferred construction, and it is obvious that by mounting the rack-bar and its cooperating parts in position by means of said thimbles 40 and 41,` or the equivalent thereof, I am able to render the jaws of an old vise very usefuland eiiicient even after the threaded screw 'cooperating therewith has been destroyed by use.

The various parts of my improved vise may be very cheaply and expeditiously manufact'ured and readily assembled in their operai tive positions, and while I have described the preferred construction which maybe adapted in materializing my in vention' I desirevto comprehend in this application all substantial equivalents and substitutes that may be considered to fall fairly within the scope of my invention. 1

Having thus fully described the construction of myimproved vise and cooperating accessores, the manner of using the same may be stated to be as follows: The fixed and-movable jaws are properly assembled andthe vcontrolling-bar 10 extended th rough the opening provided in said jaws, so that the teeth 12 will be disposed under the detent 18 and in. engagement therewith, it being seen that said bar may be readily pushed under said detent, inasmuch as the inclination of the teeth upon said parts will permit the inward movement of the bar, but check its outward movement until the detent is raised. When the parts are thus assembled, the object upon which it is desired to bring the jaws to bear is interposed between them and the movable jaw pushed into close engagement by the hand of the operator, which will cause the bar 10 to move inward, such inward movement being IIO 'secured by the detent 1S. When the jaws have been brought into engagement with the object interposed between them, the lever 16 may be grasped, and the thimble 15 or4 33, as the case may be, turned sufficiently to finish the clamping process and insure that the interposed object will be very firmly secured until a reverse rotation of said thimble will release it. In case the lever 16 and accompanying thimble is dispensed with and reliance placed upon the controlling-head 37 then and in that event the bar 10 may be reversed and the threaded end thereof entered first, so that the teeth 11 will be engaged by the detent 18, it being understood that the post 31 is withdrawn from its aperture and entered into an aperture in the opposite end of the bar. Thejaws may then be manually brought together, so as to bear upon the interposed Object, when a downward movement upon the lever 39 will bring the peripheral face of the head 37 into engagement with the extension 17, and thus finish the locking process of the jaws.

The description above set forth comprehends the interchangeability of the controlling cooperating elements for thebar 10, it being understood, however, that full reliance may be placed upon the controlling-head 37 or the thimbles 15 or 16 without the necessity of adapting the bar 10 for both of said devices.

The thimble 15, it will be observed, is provided with a threaded bore adapted to directly act upon the threaded end of the bar l0, While the thimble 33 is formed with a suitable opening adapted to indirectly act upon said bar through the mediation of the nut 35, the thimble in this instance forming the office of an ordinary wrench, which latter may be used as a substitute, if desired.

My improved vise will be found very desirable and efficient for all of the purposes for which such an instrument is useful, inasmuch as it may be Very quickly mounted in its operative position upon any suitable form of supporting-base. The parts being of simple character and construction maybe formed in quantities, and thus rendered interchangeable, so that when one part becomes impaired or destroyed by use it may be quickly replaced and the vise substantially restored to its original condition without the necessity or expense of renewing all of the parts.

Having thus fully described my improved vise, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described vise having a stationary and movable jaw, the former being provided with an extension for supporting the movablel jaw; a rack-bar having oppositelydisposed teeth upon opposite sides ofits transverse center; a detent carried by one of said jaws; means to hold said jaws normally open and additional means substantially as described for forcing said jaws tightly in engagement with each other or in engagement with any interposed object, all combined sub stantia-lly as specified and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a stationary jaw sand a movable jaw having portions slidable one over the other, of a rack-bar having oppositely-disposed teeth upon opposite sides of its transverse center, a controlling device engaging a threaded end of the rack-bar, apivoted toothed detent carried by the stationary .j aw to engage the teeth of the rack-bar, means for holding said detent in operative position and means engaging the detent for limiting its movement substantially as described.

3. The combination with a 'stationary jaw and a movable jaw having portions slidable one over the other, of a rack-bar having op;- positely-disposed teeth upon opposite sides of its transverse center, a controlling device en'- gaging a threaded end of the racksbar, a piv'- oted toothed detent carried by the stationary jaw to engage the teeth of the rack-bar, means for holding said detent in operative position and means engaging the detent for limiting its movement, the stationary jaw having its body portion formed with a slotted guideway and a downwardly-dependin g stem carried by the rack-bar movable in said guideway, sub# stantially as described. A

4. The combination with a stationary jaw and a movable jaw having portions slidable one over the other, of a rack-bar having oppositely-disposed teeth upon opposite sides of its transverse center, a controlling device en- 10o gaging a threaded end of the rack-bar, a pivoted toothed detent carried by the stationary jaw to engage the teeth of the rack-bar, means for holding said detent in operative positionand means engaging the detent for limiting its movement, the stationary jaw having its body portion formed with a slotted guideway and a downwardly-depending stem carried by `the rack-bar movable in said guideway, and

a spring acting upon said stem to normally 11o hold the rack-bar inward, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the stationary jaw having a horizontal body portion with longitudinal bore and longitudinally-disposed slot- 1 15 ted guideway, pf a movable jaw, a rack-bar passed through both of said jaws, means for operating the rack-bar, and a stem depending from the rack-bar and movable through bore and acting upon the lower end of said stein which projects into said bore through the guideway all substantially as shown and described. f

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses;

WILLIAM PRESTON PI-IENIX. l/Vitnesses:

J. B. GREEN, W. R. DAvIs.

said slotted guideway and a spring within said 1 2c 

